August
2003 Newsletter

Editorial

Hello
there everyone, Hope you are all enjoying this wonderful Heat Wave,
At last we are getting a great Summer So don’t Forget Your Sunscreen.
We have our new Social Calendar Drawn up so Don’t forget to call
us and check on the times and dates. We look forward to seeing you
all as soon as possible in the Clubhouse.

Congratulations to Siobhan and Brendan on the occasion of their
recent marriage. We wish them lots of love and happiness for the
Future.

Also from the Employment Unit, We would like to congratulate Tony
on the success of his new employment position. WELL DONE !!!!!!!

If
anyone has any articles or comments they would like to submit please
e-mail them to us at:

On Friday 1st of August 03, a group of 4 from Platinum
Clubhouse went to Cappanargid, just outside Rathangan. We were
there to view pieces of bog-oak for the Clubhouse. We were searching,
scraping and choosing the bog-oak. Eventually, we found a piece
that looked very nice and very unusual. I picked out the piece
and we all agreed that the piece would suit the Clubhouse down
to the ground. The name of the gentleman responsible for the artwork
is the artist Brian O’Loughlin. He was explaining everything to
us about the bog-oak. It was interesting and it was also very
educational.

The artwork will be displayed on the wall of the staircase at
the end of August or the beginning of September 03. The reason
for this delay is because Brian O’Loughlin is very busy. The bog-oak
is about 8-10foot high. The cost of the bog-oak is: I won’t mention,
when you see it, you guess.

Poetry
Corner

Platinum Clubhouse members are
With a great future ahead
To exercise all of our capabilities
Where many dreams are said
A place to spend the day
Sharing a common course along
With guidance show the way
And nothing can go wrong.

To get involved and be useful
In a place that is good for you
Then your world will not be so dull
And your troubles be less too
To create an interest in your mind
Would have each person keeping well
This Clubhouse is of the kind
It has many a story to tell

United together we get along
To keep a service in place
To do something, nothing wrong
Doing nothing such a disgrace
Each member to contribute something
No matter what big or small
A stepping stone it will bring
To all outside jobs in call

A place to socialise and have fun
And really enjoy your day
With company your heart be won
Where each member has their say
A group of members united as one
To a workforce as a team
So if a change of life you long
This Clubhouse is all you need.

Paddy

Fire
Safety

I
thought I was fire safety conscious, judge for yourself! My
mobile plug left in will overheat. My dishwasher plug was permanently
left in—it shouldn’t be. All plugs to be taken out when not
in use computer pugs, TV, Stereo, Radio, Kettle etc.
My Fire Extinguisher was kept in the greenhouse, of course it
shouldn’t be. I have now tested it and it resides in the kitchen.
I have 3 smoke alarms in a bungalow—not bad, but not good either.
I need a Fire Blanket for the kitchen and will be getting one
soon.

Eileen
M.

Maintenance
Unit

Well an up to date on this unit as to what is happening. Mary
& Caroline have not done their test in this area yet as their
appears to be a slight problem getting these two ladies with
a drill in their hand, but they were given lessons!
Ray, John and Pierce have gone into some kind of a whirl wind
at the moment, they are gone crazy in the maintenance area.

Springs have been put on the main door and patio doors.

Computers
have been relocated.

Dry
stores have got new shelving and plug sockets filled.

Beauty
Room has seen new shelves installed and mirror.

General
office has taken on a new look .

Computer
sockets have been fitted.

Plants
have been potted.

Members
Certs have been framed and hung up.

Maintenance
Unit has had new shelving and crook fitted.

Recycling
boxes have been installed in all units

John, Pierce & Ray have also been very busy down town pricing
& buying needed material.

Employment
Unit

The employment unit is very busy considering the time of year.
Two members have increased their working hours up to the maximum
amount of hours. Another member has been offered an extra
morning to work in the week. Well done to all three members.
Tony commenced a T/E job mid July. He is doing very well in
same and is delighted to be back working in the community
again. Carmel is very busy job developing with various employers.
She is also studying hard at the moment for her exams in Management.
We all at Platinum wish her success in them.
Eileen, Patricia, & Michael are into their fifth week of there
computer course. Well done to all three and we look forward
to them getting their Certs. Michael is also awaiting the
results of his Cert Course which are due out any day now.
Members and staff enjoyed an Employment Dinner at Johnston
Inn on 25/7/03.

My
Experience As A Special Olympic Volunteer

It all began at one of our lions Club Meetings in Kilcullen
last October. We had a visit from Nicola Kennedy, F.A.O.I.
Who explained about the Healthy Athlete programme at the 2003
Special Olympic World Games, gave us some application forms
and said she would be grateful for any Volunteers. There was
a need for 30,000 of them. I made up my mind there and then
to become one of that 30,000, so I decided to give it my best
shot. I took a form, filled it out and from then on things
started to happen. For my sins I said I would do every day,
nine in total. Let me explain a little about the Healthy Athlete
Programme. In order to successful participate in the Games,
all athletes must tale care of their health and well being
so as to improve in their ability to train and compete in
their sport. Through this programme athletes have access to
a range of health care professionals who screen and educate
them on a variety of health and well being topics.
These came under 6 headings:

Openings
Eyes Programme—to have their eyes tested and receive glasses
if required.

Special Signals Programme— to have a full dental examinations
and receive mouth guards required.

Fun
Fitness Programme— to have a fitness assessment from a team
of physiotherapists.

Healthy
Hearing Programme- to have their hearing tested by a team
of audiologists.

Before I knew it my volunteer No. VMS193 arrived in the
post, followed by a request to attend an Induction Session
at the Arts Block, Trinity College in January. The volunteers
came streaming through in their droves, but what was most
amazing were the organisational skills of those in charge.
The sense of excitement was great but nothing to the experience
when I went to the Point Depot, in Feb for the General
Orientation. The atmosphere was electric that day. We
got officially Christened Team 2003. The D.J. was the
affable Ian Dempsey who really got the crowd going. Everything
was explained to us by various Olympic Personnel including
Rita Lawlor, World Games Board Member and former athlete.
Rita’s book “Moving On” sold like Hot Cakes! Anne Hickey
(Carlow) Regional Messenger for World Games had plenty
to say, also. Mary Black who was a guest, sang the song
she had dedicated to the Team 2003 called “Wildest Dreams”.
I could go on and on about that day, it was amazing.

Next on the agenda was a specific Training Session for
Healthy Athlete Opening Eyes. (that was what I was assigned
to) in the Green Isle Hotel on Sunday 25th May. This was
a more serious down-to-business occasion, except for the
MC Martin King (TV3 Weather fame) Can anybody imagine
Martin King being very serious? By this stage the organisers
had their homework done and we were allocated our various
jobs. That day also we collected our uniforms but not
before there had been a modelling sessions done by the
afore mentioned Martin King. The modelling took the same
kind of format as his giving of the weather forecast—Hilarious.
Last but not least we had to attend the RDS where we were
given a final training session and a Venue Walk through.
It was all coming together now and there was such a great
anticipation of the coming events. To be continued …...

July 20th 2003 was a sun-kissed day in Croke Park, conditions
were ripe for a cracking game of football. The two teams on view
didn’t disappoint, it was cut and thrust from the word go. A new
look Kildare Team from the one managed by Mick O’Dwyer was on
show. Many were making their Leinster Final Debut, along with
seasoned campaigners such as Brian Lacey and Glenn Ryan. Kildare
suffered a major blow with injuries to both Dermot Earley, and
Anthony Rainbow before a ball was even kicked.

The
whistle happy referee did Kildare another disservice by sending
off our midfielder Alan Barry after the first three minutes.
This gave the initiative to Laois who raced into a five point
lead after fifteen minutes. Kildare showed great character to
cut this lead down to two points at half time. However on the
restart Laois shocked Kildare again by Goaled in the first minute.
This gave Kildare a mountain to climb down a man and down six
points a hiding looked on the cards. Despite this fact Kildare
showed a bottomless well.
Courage dug deep against all the odds, kept chipping away at
Laois’s lead and levelled the match with a penalty taken by
Ronan Sweeney with ten minutes left.
During the course of the game Kildare won enough leather to
win two football games with Killian Brennan lording it in the
middle of the field. However the wasteful Kildare forwards shot
Seventeen wides over the seventy minutes points were exchanged
at either end and with Normal time almost up! Laois led Kildare
by one point, Kildare then raced down the field and were fowled
on the 21 yard line, Paddy Murray lined up the shot breathed
deeply and struck the ball seconds seemed like hours as the
ball sailed through the air only to hit the post. Kildare had
missed a chance to equalise which gave Laois the initiative
once again. The referee let it be known that 3 minutes would
be added at the end of the game, during this period Laois kicked
over 3 points without reply and surely that was that. And So
It Was !!!!!!!
Except Kildare made one final lunge at the Laois Goal only for
Paddy Murray’s blistering shot just whistled by the upright
after that the referee blew the final whistle. If Kerry or any
of the other teams show the tenacity and sheer maleness that
Kildare showed on the day the Sam Maguire would surely be theirs.
Roll On Summer 2004.

Pierce

Disclaimer:
The views, opinions and beliefs expressed in this newsletter are not
necessarily the views of Platinum Clubhouse.